Thanks to intelligence leads provided by Europol, Colombian and Italian authorities have arrested two high-ranking cocaine brokers associated with one of Italy’s most powerful mafia organisations. These arrests were part of a coordinated effort involving Italian authorities, Colombian law enforcement, and Europol.

The first fugitive, a senior cocaine broker linked to the Camorra syndicate, was apprehended in Medellin, Colombia, on 8 October. Having been in hiding for years, he was wanted on an Italian arrest warrant for his leading role in international drug trafficking operations spanning South America and Europe.

The second fugitive, a high-ranking Camorra member, was arrested on 24 October, also in Medellin. Having been on the run since December 2020, he was included in the list of dangerous fugitives of the Italian Ministry of Interior, and had an existing 18-year prison sentence for international drugs trafficking, adding to the urgency of his arrest.

As members of a prominent criminal network, the suspects were involved in large-scale drug trafficking operations from South America to Europe, primarily targeting th e port of Antwerp, Belgium, where their organisation had a strong presence. The criminal network specialised in smuggling vast quantities of cocaine by concealing narcotics within maritime cargo, often with the help of front companies, particularly within the fruit industry.

Europol initiated the multi-agency operation by disseminating critical intelligence, including details on the fugitives’ hiding places, multiple addresses, hotels, and counterfeit identification documents. Europol also provided intelligence on the criminal network itself, with information such as members’ roles in drug trafficking. This was further enriched by Italian authorities, enabling Colombian law enforcement to track down and capture the fugitives. Officers from the Italian State Police (Polizia di Stato) were deployed to Colombia to assist with their arrest.

The fugitives, found in possession of counterfeit documents, maintained a substantial support network across Colombia, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Italy, aiding their escape and providing resources for their families. Both fugitives now face extradition to Italy, where they will be prosecuted for their roles in a vast drug trafficking enterprise.